Joe Staley: 49ers' first win 'felt just as good as winning NFC championship'

NBC Sports | Nov 13

It's been a while since the 49ers won a game that counted, so you'll have to forgive them for their boisterous celebration.

But for one long-time 49er, the feeling after the 31-21 win over the Giants on Sunday compares to the biggest win of his career.

"In the 11 years I've been here, this win felt just as good as winning the NFC championship," left tackle Joe Staley told reporters after the game.

Staley, drafted by the 49ers in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft, was a member of the 2012 49ers that beat the Falcons in the 2013 NFC Championship game to advance to Super Bowl XLVII.

"It was unbelievable because I know how close this team is, you know, on the outside looking in, an 0-9 record coming into today's game, young team, everybody just doesn't see what we see in the locker room. I understand how close we are. No one has ever wavered, no one has ever pointed fingers. We've all just buckled down and that's a tribute to Kyle [Shanahan] and the leadership group he brought in with the front office and his coaching staff," Staley said.